Grommet applying tool with resiliently urged longitudinally shiftable upsetting element



Dec. 1951 J w. WIESMANN 2,578,619

GROMMET APPLYING TOOL WITH RESILIENTLY URGED LONGITUDINALLY SHIFTABLE UPSETTING ELEMENT Filed March 8, 1949 30 INVENTOR.

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HTTOR/VEV Patented Dec. 11, 1951 GROMMET APPLYING TOOL WITH RESIL- IENTLY URGED LONGITUDINALLY SHIFT- ABLE UPSETTING ELEMENT Joseph W. Wiesmann, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 8, 1949, Serial No. 80,135

6 Claims. (01. 218-25) This invention relates to a tool and particularly to a grommet applying tool.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved grommet applying tool particularly adapted for the installation of a grommet about the edges of an opening to be hushed characterized by upper and lower cooperating members for engagement with opposite edges of the grommet and which is designed to permit entrance of the lower cooperating member through the opening to be bushed whereby to facilitate the installation of grommets in relatively inaccessible places. 1

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the grommet applying tool hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification. In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in cross-section, of a grommet applying tool embodying the present invention showing the tool in operative position to apply a grommet; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in cross-section of the tool shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view in cross-section showing the tool in position with the grommet applied about the edges of an opening, and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the lower portion of the tool.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel grommet applying tool particularly adapted for use in crimping or spinning a grommet about the edges of an opening formed in a metal sheet to provide a bushed opening and is particularly useful for bushing an opening in a wall of a closed duct, such as a duct employed for carrying wires in an underfloor wire distributing system. Such a duct and the opening to be bushed are disposed a substantial distance below the floor surface and are accessible from but one side thereof so as to prevent the introduction of a cooperating applying member larger than the opening itself into the interior of the duct and wherein also the access opening through the floor is usually limited in size so as to render it difficult to manipulate a hand tool, such as a pair of pliers for crimping the grommet into place, or such as to permit but limited manipulation of the tool laterally in the access opening when inserting or removing the tool into or from operative grommet applying position.

To this end the present tool comprises, in general, an elongated unit having an upper die section adapted for cooperation with the upper portion of a grommet placed in the opening to be bushed, and a cooperating crimping or spinning roller revolubly carried by a central elongated rod mounted for extension and rotation in the upper die section arranged to be extended and introduced through the opening and into a position below the lower edge of the grommet and then retracted or elevated into engagement with the edge of the grommet and rotated to perform the bushing operation in cooperation with the upper die section. In practice, the tool may be lowered into the access opening through the floor and held in an offset or slightly tilted position relative to the underlying opening to be bushed to permit entrance of the extensible portion carrying the revoluble roller through the opening whereupon the tool may be moved laterally and into a vertical position into alignment with and concentric to the opening to dispose the tool in operative position to the lower edge of the grommet. The extensible ;portion of the tool is then retracted to dispose the roller in engagement with the lower edge of the grommet and to permit it to be rotated to perform the bushing operation. Provision is also made in the preferred embodiment of the invention for aligning the tool vertically with the opening and for supporting and maintaining the tool in such alignment to assure vertical axial rotation of the tool during the applying operation. Upon completion of the grommet applying operation the tool may again be extended, tilted slightly and moved laterally to :permit withdrawal of the revolubly mounted roller unit from the hushed opening.

Referring now to the drawings, the present grommet applying tool comprises in general an elongated tubular support or sleeve it having a die member l2 at its lower end adapted for cooperation with the upper portion of a grommet inserted in the opening to be bushed, and an elongated central rod l4 slidably and rotatably mounted in the sleeve in and provided with a crank arm H5 at its lower end carrying an upsetting crimping or spinning roller 18 adapted to be inserted through the opening and engaged with the lower edge of the grommet to perform the applying operation upon rotation of the central rod [4.

As herein shown, the die member l2 comprises a circular disc having an annular groove 20 in the underside thereof for cooperation with the preformed rolled edge 22 of a grommet 24 placed in an opening formed in a metal sheet, herein shown as formed in the lower wall 25 of a closed cross over duct 28 and in the adjacent upper wall 30 of an underlying duct or cell 32 communieating with the cross over ductand forming a:

part of an underfloor wire distributing system. The spinning'roller i3 is rotatably mounted on a stud 34 carried in the end of the crank iii, the crank being herein shown as formed integrally with the central rod Hi and extended at right angles thereto so that upon rotation of the rod M the roller it will revolve about the central axis and in a path corresponding to the annular groove 2:: in the disc 12. The central rod id, slidably mounted in the sleeve 1!) is extended upwardly beyond the end of the sleeve and provided at its upper end with a collar or hub member 33 secured to the rod by a pin as, and an operating crank 42 attached to the upper face of the hub is provided with a handle M for manually rotating the rod in the sleeve.

Provision is made for extending and retracting the rod [4 in the sleeve II] to present the pinning roller is into and out of operative engagement with the grommet during the operation of the tool, and as herein shown, a spring 26 coiled about the rod and interposed between the upper end of the sleeve and a washer .3 in engagement with the underside of the hub 38 is arranged to urge the rod upwardly to present the spinning roller l3 into operative engagement with the grommet. A latch member 58 pivotally mounted at 52 in an offset extension 53 attached to the upper end of the sleeve It by screws 5% is arranged to engage the upper end of the hub member 38 to normally maintain the spring 45 in a compressed or loaded condition and to retain the rod and the spinning roller in an extended position out of operative engagement with the grommet.

In order to facilitate compression of the spring 46 and to efiect extension of the rod in the sleeve, the operating crank 42 is extended laterally an equal distance on both sides of the hub 38 and a pair of handle bars 58 attached to opposed sides of the sleeve l0 provide laterally extended arms arranged with respect to the operating crank arms so that when the upper and lower arms are in vertical alignment, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arms may be grasped by the operator and squeezed toward each other to compress the spring until the desired position of extension is reached, whereupon the latch member 50 may be rocked on its pivot, from the dotted t0 the full line position shown in Fig. 2, into position to engage with an annular grooved portion formed in the top of the hub member 38. The handle bars 53 may also be used for manually holding the sleeve H) stationary While rotating the crank arm 32 during operation of the tool.

From the descriptionthus far it will be seen that when the tool is retained in its extended position by the latch 58, the spinning roller iii and crank arm l6 may be introduced into and through the opening to be hushed by holding the tool in an offset or slightly tilted position relative to the opening since the combined length of the crank arm [6 and roller [8 is less than the diameter of the hole to be bushed. Thereafter, the tool is moved into a vertical position in alignment with the opening and the upper -die mem ber I2 is fitted over the preformed upper portion of the grommet, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. When thus disposed, the latch member 553 is rocked to release the loaded spring -56 which operates to retract the rod I l and to urge the revolubly mounted roller 8 into engagement with the lower edge of the grommet 22 and upon rotation of the rod M, as above described, the grommet is crimped or spun into position, as shown in Fig. 3. Thereupon, the tool may again be extended and latched into its inoperative position and moved laterally relative to the opening or tilted slightly so as to permit withdrawal of the tool.

' As above described, the present construction of a grommet applying tool is of particular advantage when the opening to be bushed is disposed in a relatively inaccessible position, such as an opening formed in an underfloor wire distributing system, illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the opening to be bushed may be disposed a substantial distance below the upper surface of the floor and the diameter of the opening in the floor may be limited in size so as to preclude the insertion and manipulation of the conventional hand tools for crimping the grommet into place. Such underfloor Wire distributing systems are usually provided with access openings through the floor, as indicated at to in Figs. 1 and 2, formed at the intersection of the cross-over duct 28 and the underlying duct or cell 32, the access opening being herein shown as defined by an upstanding annular rim 52 formed in the upper Wall of the cross-over duct and an adjustable telescopically mounted extensible member Ed, the upper portion of which is arranged flush with the floor and provided with an annular recess 65 for receiving a removable cover, not shown.

When the tool is employed in an access opening as above described, the annular recessed portion 86 of the extensible member 64 may be utilized to provide a bearing for a centerin disc 58 carried by the sleeve Hi, the disc 68 being of a diameter such as to snugly fit into the recess 66 in order to centralize the tool and to assure vertical disposition of the tool durin the groin met applying operation, As herein shown,- the centering disc 68 is slidably mounted on the sleeve is and is guided vertically thereon by an elongated key 79 fast in the sleeve It, as illustrated. In the operation of the tool, the disc 88 is held in a raised position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, until the tool is inserted into operative position to the grommet and the centering disc may then be lowered into the recess 86 to main tain the tool in a vertical and central position during the applying operation. In order to facilitate raising and lowering of the disc t8 on the sleeve it, a handle 12 may be provided on the upper surface thereof, or a finger opening 7 may be formed therein, as shown.

In practice, the recessed cover portion 533 of the member lid is provided with equally spacedopenings 75 for fastening the detachable cover thereto and as a further expedient for preventing rotary movement of the sleeve Ii] during the grommet applying operation, one or more of the openings 15 may be utilized by providing aligned openings 18 in the keyed centering disc 68 and introducing a pin or key 89 through the aligned openings in the disc and cover receiving member. Thus, the keyed disc 58 may serve as both a centering member and a retaining member for the tool during the applying operation.

From the above description, it will be observed that the present grommet applying tool is simple in construction and efiicient in operation and, that the tool may be used with particular advantage in relatively inaccessible places such as when used for applying a grommet about an opening in the wall of a closed duct disposed a substantial distance below the surface of the structure in which the duct installed and in which access to the interior of the duct is limopening comprising a circular die member for engagement with the upper portion of the grommet, a roller for engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, means for operatively sup porting the roller for movement toward and away from the die member, spring means for normally yieldingly urging the roller toward the die and into operative relation to the grommet,

means for moving the roller away from the die to an extended position to permit insertion of the roller through said opening and into operative relation to said lower edge, latch means for restraining said spring means and for maintaining the roller locked in its extended position during the positioning of the tool, said roller being elevated toward said die and into press ing engagement with said lower edge by said spring means upon release of the latch of said locking means, and means for revolving the roller along said edge while maintained in said pressing engagement by said spring means to perform the grommet applying operation.

2. A grommet applying tool for bushing an opening comprising an elongated sleeve having a circular die member at its lower end for engagement with the preformed upper portion of a grommet inserted in said opening, an elongated rod slidable within said sleeve, a crank formed on the lower end of said rod and having a roller mounted thereon for engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, means for moving the rod longitudinally in the sleeve to an extended position to permit insertion of the crank and roller through said opening and into operative relation to said lower edge, spring means for yieldingly retracting the rod in the sleeve to urge the roller into pressing engagement with said lower edge, means for releasably locking said rod and roller in said extended position against the action of said spring means during the inserting operation, and means for rotating the rod to revolve the roller along said edge while said spring means is maintaining the roller in said pressing engagement to perform the grommet applying operation.

3. A grommet applying tool for bushing an opening comprising an elongated sleeve having a circular die member at its lower end for engagement with the preformed upper portion of a grommet inserted in. said opening, an elongated rod slidable within said sleeve, a crank formed on the lower end of said rod and having a roller mounted thereon for engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, spring means for normally yieldingly urging the roller toward the die and into operative relation to the grommet, means for moving the rod longitudinally in the sleeve to an extended position to permit the introduction of the crank and roller through said opening and into operative relation to said lower edge by manipulation of the tool from an offset position to a vertically aligned position, a latch carried by said sleeve and engageable with the rod for restraining said spring means and for maintaining the roller in its extended position amen during introduction of the tool in the opening, said roller being moved toward said die into pressing' engagement with said lower edge upon release of the latch, and means for rotating the rod to revolve the roller along said edge while said spring means is maintaining the roller in said pressing engagement to perform the grommet applying operation.

4. A grommet applying tool for bushing an opening in a member disposed a substantial distance below a fixed surface having an annular recess concentric with said opening comprising an elongated sleeve having a circular die member at its lower end for engagement with the preformed upper portion of a grommet inserted in said opening, an elongated rod slidable within said sleeve, a crank formed on the lower end of said rod and having a roller mounted thereon for engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, spring means for normally yieldingly urging the roller toward the die and into operative relation to the grommet, means for moving the rod longitudinally in the sleeve to an extended position to permit the introduction of the crank and roller through said opening and into operative relation to said lower edge by manipulation of the tool from an offset position to a vertically aligned position, a latch carried by said sleeve and engageable with the rod for restraining said spring meansand for maintaining the roller in its extended position during introduction of the tool in the opening, said roller being moved toward said die into pressing engagement with said lower edge upon release of the latch, and means for rotating the rod to revolve the roller along said edge while said spring means is maintaining the roller in said pressing engagement to perform the grommet applying operation, and means on said sleeve above said die member for aligning and maintaining the tool concentric with said opening including a disc member carried by said sleeve and adapted for cooperation with said annular recess disposed above said opening.

5. A grommet applying tool for bushing an opening comprising, an upper die member and a lower upsetting member movable toward and away from said upper die member into and out of grommet applying position, means for moving the lower upsetting member away from the upper die member to an extended position to permit insertion of the lower upsetting member through said opening and into operative relation to the lower edge of th grommet, spring means for normally urging the lower upsetting member toward the upper die member and into pressing engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, means operable to restrain the action of said spring means and to releasably lock said lower upsetting member so that it is in its extended position during the inserting operation, and means for revolving the lower upsetting member, while said spring means is released to maintain said lower upsetting member in said pressing engagement, to perform the grommet applying operation.

6. A grommet applying tool for bushing an opening in a member disposed a substantial distance below a fixed surface and having an annular recess concentric with said opening comprising, an upper die member and a lower upsetting member movable toward and away from said upper die memberinto and out of grommet applying position, means for moving the lower upsetting member away from the upper die 7 member to an extended position to permit insertion of the lower upsetting member through said opening and into operative relation to the lower edge of the grommet, spring means for normally urging the lower upsetting member toward the upper die member and into pressing engagement with the lower edge of said grommet, means operable to restrain the action of said spring means and to releasably lock said lower upsetting member so that it is in its extended position during the inserting operation, means for revolving the lower upsetting member, while said spring means is released to maintain said lower member in said pressing engagement, to perform the grommet applying operation, and guide means above the grommet engaging portion of said upper die member including a vertically slidable disc adapted for cooperation with said annular recess for aligning and maintaining the tool concentric with said opening during the grommet applying operation.

JOSEPH W. WIESMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 810,756 Pfluger Jan. 23, 1906 1,234,680 Lowy July 24, 1917 1,476,756 Junkers Dec. 11, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 541,263 France Apr. 29, 1922 428,342 Great Britain May 10, 1935 

